I’m ea relatively new driver (c+e 6months ago). Done some trunking, been mostly north/South Ireland. Just got a job with McCulla ( refrigerated) tramping over to midlands. (I’m originally from England but never driven HGV there). Looks like it’ll mostly be Belfast- Haysham.
Anyone got any good advice, tips but mostly insight as to what to expect. One specific Q I have is what consists of a good overnight kit? I’ll be away for a fortnight at a time…yes I know I must be a couple of beers short of a six pack but us newbs gotta start someplace.
Cheers chaps
The trick is to pack light, the temptation to fill the cab with Santas Grotto is the agenda.
When it comes to swapping cabs or going on holiday, it will take half a day to empty it, and the assistance of a wheel barrow.
Buy two of what is needed, for example, one razor,tooth brush left at home, the second set left in the cab.
A good duvet or sleeping bag.
Camping gas cooker to brew up.
Powdered milk lasts longer.
Big sports bag to haul from car to cab.
Baby wipes,hand sterilizer, foam ear plugs.
Tv to occupy at night, watch films or Babe Channel.
Take what you think you might need at first. Then for the first couple of weeks, look at what you don’t bother with.
I don’t give a monkeys if the guys that run around at our place for a whole week, with just a rucksack or hold-all, look at me like I’m one of the “all the gear, but no idea” crew.
If you’ve got it and don’t use it, you’ll be far happier than the bloke that didn’t take it and needed it.
My car is a VW Polo, and I fill the boot the night before I go into work with general stuff. Bedding and coats(s) go on the back seat. And I leave my fresh food stuff until the morning I go to work, that has a bag I put in the passenger footwell.
I have every conceivable charger I might need, cleaning stuff. A few tools if you are mechanically minded. I could probably wipe this down by a third (at least) if we were allowed to leave stuff in our units. Which in theory we can, but we’d have to replace it again the following week. (As our motors are put into use on our days off)
Take the essentials. A good warm sleeping bag and pillow is a must. Mobile phone charger and other such things. Take a 6 pack of bottled water. A towel and the usual bathroom related items. Also get a kettle so you can at least have some hot food and a brew. Helps a lot in this cold weather.
Flip flops,laundry bag,unpack properly,stapler,notebook,spare sunglasses,tunes.
don’t forget your internet connection or else you wont be able to waffle on about a load of pish on here like the rest of us… 
mc culla would be as decent or as bad as your normal mobs over here.2 weeks away is quite normal,at least you’ve got a good choice of where to take your 24 hours,your relatively handy to a bit of civilization unless you want to cab it outside Birkenhead docks as itl be prozzies knocking on your door all night,and diesel fairies not knocking. …common sense says you know what to take bedwise,and a change of skiddys… by the time you have a good lie in and do a bit of housework then itl be time to settle down and have a chat with the telephone lady on channel whatsit…wetwipes in the fridge work wonders…
Pot noodles and dry packet soup… a good book
2 duvets or sleeping bags, gets very cold if night heater fails
Shoshaye:
2 duvets or sleeping bags, gets very cold if night heater fails
Not if you run the big night heater under the cab…
if like me you wear glasses to read get a spare pair . I broke mine on Tuesday (£1 shop ones) and ended up parking up with hazards on in Bolton while I rushed into asda to get some more as I struggled to read the delivery notes 
syramax:
if like me you wear glasses to read get a spare pair . I broke mine on Tuesday (£1 shop ones) and ended up parking up with hazards on in Bolton while I rushed into asda to get some more as I struggled to read the delivery notes
Should have went to spec savers! 
Deeireland:
syramax:
if like me you wear glasses to read get a spare pair . I broke mine on Tuesday (£1 shop ones) and ended up parking up with hazards on in Bolton while I rushed into asda to get some more as I struggled to read the delivery notesShould have went to spec savers!
He meant to.But could’nt read the sign.